Pastor Sullivan's Blog

Grace and peace be unto you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Today our Lord teaches us to pray. This is a lesson that you need often because the devil, your adversary wants to convince you that you are not worthy to pray. He tells you that you deserve none of the things for which you pray and too often you believe that, so you don’t pray as you should. The world in which you live insists that your prayers are ineffective. Too often, you feel the same way, wondering why the Lord hasn’t answered your prayer. So you don’t pray as often as you should. Your own flesh tempts you to imagine that self-reliance is more godly and pious than humbly asking the Lord for what you need. Your flesh likes the sound of worldly aphorisms like “God helps those who help themselves.” So you imagine if you just work harder at things, that’s better than prayer and reliance upon the Lord. It is because we are hounded by the devil, influenced by the wicked world, and tempted by our sin...

In the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. In today’s appointed gospel lesson, St. Matthew shows us a woman in dire need. Her daughter is severely demon-possessed and the woman has no way of helping her. She of herself has no strength to save her daughter. So she goes to Jesus. He had left the ancient boundary of Israel and gone into the region of Tyre and Sidon where this woman and her daughter lived. She seizes her opportunity. The woman goes to Jesus and prays mightily, “ Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed. ” She is not an Israelite, yet she knew that Jesus was Lord. She knew that He was the Son of David. She knew that Jesus was merciful to people who called upon Him in the hour of utmost need. The good report about Jesus had spread to this far away region and she believed it. In faith she approaches Jesus and asks Him to have mercy on her utterly helpless daughter. This is a great picture of faith. Fait...

In the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. On Sunday St. Matthew told us once again how our Lord Jesus Christ defeated the devil’s temptations in the wilderness. This is important for us to hear every year, so that the Holy Spirit can remind us that we are in a great battle in this life. The Son of God assumed human flesh, just like yours and mines, except without sin, and was tempted like a flesh and blood man. But this is not written so that we only know we have a Savior who can sympathize with us, though that is a wonderful comfort. The temptation of Jesus was put into writing to teach us that although we are beset by all sorts of temptations every day, we have the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. When we believe the Gospel, that Christ has died to make full satisfaction for our sins, all of our sins are forgiven and we are given Christ’s perfect righteousness and merits. Not only are we declared to be righteous, we are declared to be victori...

Order of Holy Communion - Pg. 15 Hymn # 201 Jesus Lives, the Victory's Won Hymn # 458 Our Father, Thou in Heaven Above Hymn # 413 I Walk in Danger All the Way   Introit With voice of singing, declare, pro- | claim | this, *             Utter it to the end of the earth. Al- | le- | lu- | ia! || “The Lord has redeemed His servant | Ja- | cob!” *             Alleluia! Al- | le- | lu- | ia! (Isaiah 48:20b) || Make a joyful shout to God, all the | earth! | - *             Sing out the honor of His name; Make His praise | glo- | ri- | ous. || I cried to Him with my | mouth, | - *             And He was extolled | with | my | tongue. || Certainly God has | heard | me; *             He has attended to the voice | of | my | pray-er. ∙ || Blessèd be God, who has not turned away my | pray-er, ∙ | - * ...

Order of Holy Communion - Pg. 15 Hymn # 145 Jesus, Refuge of the Weary Hymn # 522 When in the Hour of Utmost Need Hymn # 523 Why Should Cross and Trial Grieve Me Introit   RE- - MEM- | ber, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your lov- | ing- | kind- | ness- | es, * For they | are | from | of | old. - || Let not my enemies tri- | umph | o- | ver | me. * God of Israel, deliver us out of | all | our | trou- | bles! - (Psalm 25:6, 2b, and 22) || To You, O Lord, I | lift | up | my | soul. * O my God, I trust in You; let me | not | be | a- | shamed; - || Do not remember the | sins | of | my | youth; * According to Your mercy remember me for | Your | good- | ness’ | sake. - || Good and up- | right | is | the | Lord; * Therefore He teaches sin- | ners | in | the | way. - || For Your | name’s | sake, | O | Lord, * Pardon my iniquity, | for | it | is | great. - (Psalm 25:1–2...